NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Connecticut College women's basketball team lost its final home of the season, 65-59, against Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon in NESCAC action at Luce Field House.

In what was largely a one-possession game for most of the second half, Wesleyan took the lead behind a 7-0 spurt midway through the fourth quarter and never gave it back. Felicia Fongemie led all scorers with 17 points while Olivia Quinn and Tori Dacosta added 16 and 15, respectively.

Avery Burns (Orleans, Mass.) came off the bench to lead the Camels with 13 points. Mia Xerras (Charlotte, N.C.) chipped in 10 points while Addi Hunter (Saint George, Vt.) turned in a big game with eight points, a career-high 15 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block.

Neither team led by more than four in the opening quarter en route to a 12-12 score after one. Dacosta paced the Cardinals with eight points in the period while Catie Donadio (Clinton, Conn.) chipped in five for the Camels.

Things stayed tight in the second quarter as the teams continued to trade blows. A three-pointer by Hallie O'Toole (Wilbraham, Mass.) put Conn on top with 2:49 left in the half, and the hosts took a 31-30 lead into the locker room at the break.

The lead changed hands seven times in the third period alone. After Wesleyan took its biggest lead of the day at 42-36, Conn responded with seven straight points—six of which came from Burns—to vault back into the lead. Burns later added a jumper in the final minute of the third to put the Camels up 47-46, but Aviva Schnitzer scored on the ensuing possession to give the Cardinals a one-point advantage heading into the final stanza. 

Things looked promising for the Camels in the first two minutes of the fourth, as Catherine Cole (Lebanon, N.H.) buried a three and Hayle Thompson (Maynard, Mass.) added a baseline jumper to go on top 52-50. However, Meghan Kirck dropped in a three for the Cardinals that ignited the 7-0 spurt and yielded a 57-52 advantage with 4:03 to go.

Conn made it a one-possession game at three different points during the final 3:23, but each time Wesleyan had an answer. After a three by Xerras cut the deficit to 62-59 with 1:24 remaining, the Camels missed on a potential game-tying three with 45 seconds to play. The Cardinals then iced the game when Fongemie drove to the basket and drew a foul with 15 ticks left on the clock and made both free throws.  

Wesleyan (8-12 overall, 2-5 NESCAC) shot 41 percent for the game. Kirck scored all 12 of her points from deep and finished 4-for-8 from three-point range.

Prior to the game the Camels honored Donadio in a special ceremony. The senior guard—who finished with eight points, seven rebounds and two assists in her final home game—has played in 80 career games over four seasons at Conn. 

Conn (10-11 overall, 0-7 NESCAC) will next play at Hamilton College on Friday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m.